Multiple station vacuum deposition apparatus for texturing a substrate using a scanning beam

ABSTRACT

A stationary vacuum deposition machine for use in a method for processing substrates to make magnetic hard disks includes a series of stations and a transport. The series of stations includes an entrance station for receiving substrates into the machine and a predetermined station. The transport operates in a cycle with each cycle including a transport phase and a stationary phase. The transport causes all the substrates that are in the machine to be moved during the transport phase, and be temporarily held stationary during the stationary phase, such that during each stationary phase a predetermined one of the stations is occupied by one of the substrates while each of a plurality of others of the stations is occupied by a respective one of a plurality of others of the substrates. The machine further includes a plurality of vacuum deposition stations and a scanning beam generator. Each vacuum deposition station operates during each stationary phase such that each station causes a thin film to be deposited on a respective one of the substrates. The scanning beam generator directs a scanning beam at the substrate occupying the predetermined station while the substrate is held stationary to produce a textured pattern.

This application is a division of application Ser. No. 08/920,170, filedAug. 27, 1997, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to processing of a substrate in making a disk tobe used in a fixed-disk disk drive. More particularly, it relates tousing a vacuum deposition machine to laser texture an inner annularregion or landing zone of a substrate.

2. Description of the Prior Art and Related Information

The overall cost and performance of a contemporary fixed-disk diskdrive, such as a magnetic hard disk drive, depend significantly on thecost and performance of each magnetic disk within the drive.

The cost of manufacturing magnetic disks depends in part on the cost andefficiency of operation of various machines used to carry out numerousprocesses involved in manufacturing the disks. These processes includetexturing processes. Typically, one machine is used for “full-surface”texturing and another machine is used for landing zone texturing. Anexample of a machine for landing zone texturing is a standalone lasertexturing machine which includes a rotating and translating spindle thatrotates a substrate while a stationary pulsed laser beam is directed atthe rotating substrate causing bumps to be formed in the landing zone ofthe substrate.

The standalone machine typically laser textures one substrate at a timeand its throughput may be severely limited by factors such as thesubstrate handling time. Also, the cost of the laser texturing machinemay constitute a significant portion of the overall cost ofmanufacturing the disks.

The manufacturing of magnetic disks also typically involves the use of astationary vacuum deposition machine. (In this art, a stationary vacuumdeposition machine is commonly called a stationary sputtering machine,and the two different terms are used interchangeably herein.). Analternate machine is an in-line sputtering machine. Either type ofmachine is used to, among other things, deposit a succession of thinfilm layers on a substrate. The thin film layers may include anunderlayer, a magnetic layer, and a carbon overcoat layer. A typicalstationary sputtering machine includes a series of stations. The seriesof stations includes a load station, a plurality of sputtering stations,a cooling station, a heating station, and an unload station. Eachstation has a per-stage processing time of typically approximately 5 to7 seconds. The sputtering stations are used to sputter the succession ofthin film layers on a substrate; typically, both sides of the substrateare sputtered with the succession of thin film layers. Among the seriesof stations, a plurality of spare stations are also usually included.The cost of a sputtering machine adds a significant portion to theoverall cost of manufacturing the disks.

The performance of a fixed-disk disk drive depends in part on structuresthat affect the startup of operation of the drive. In a typical diskdrive, a slider lands in the landing zone when the disk drive is powereddown. Texturing of the landing zone reduces the effective contact areabetween the slider and the surface of the landing zone thereby reducingthe static friction forces (“stiction”) that must be overcome toseparate the slider from the surface of the landing zone when the diskdrive is powered on. Such a reduction of static friction forces improvesthe performance of the disk drive.

A need exists in the art to reduce the costs of manufacturing the disks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention can be regarded as a method for using a stationary vacuumdeposition machine to process a substrate to make a magnetic hard disk.The machine has a controllable transport means and a series of stations.The series of stations includes stations to which the controllabletransport means sequentially moves the substrate and at each of which athin film layer is deposited onto the substrate. The method includes thesteps of loading the substrate into the machine and controlling thetransport means to cause the substrate to be moved into, and then betemporarily held stationary in, a predetermined one of the series ofstations. The method also includes the step of directing a scanning beamat the substrate while it is held stationary in the predeterminedstation to produce a textured pattern.

This invention can also be regarded as a method for using a stationaryvacuum deposition machine to process substrates to make magnetic harddisks in a pipeline process. The machine has a controllable transportmeans, a series of stations through which the controllable transportmeans sequentially moves each of the substrates, and a controllableplurality of station vacuum deposition means. The method includes thesteps of sequentially loading the substrates into the machine andcontrolling the transport means to operate in a cycle with each cycleincluding a transport phase and a stationary phase such that thetransport means causes all the substrates that are in the machine to bemoved during the transport phase, and be temporarily held stationaryduring the stationary phase, such that during each stationary phase apredetermined one of the stations is occupied by one of the substrateswhile each of a plurality of others of the stations is occupied by arespective one of a plurality of others of the substrates. The methodalso includes the steps of controlling the plurality of station vacuumdeposition means to operate during each stationary phase such that eachstation vacuum deposition means causes a thin film to be deposited on arespective one of the substrates, and also during each stationary phase,directing a scanning beam at the substrate occupying the predeterminedstation while the substrate is held stationary to produce a texturedpattern.

This invention can also be regarded as a stationary vacuum depositionmachine for use in a method for processing substrates to make magnetichard disks. The machine includes a series of stations and a transportmeans. The series of stations includes an entrance station for receivingsubstrates into the machine and a predetermined station. The transportmeans operates in a cycle with each cycle including a transport phaseand a stationary phase. The transport means causes all the substratesthat are in the machine to be moved during the transport phase, and betemporarily held stationary during the stationary phase, such thatduring each stationary phase a predetermined one of the stations isoccupied by one of the substrates while each of a plurality of others ofthe stations is occupied by a respective one of a plurality of others ofthe substrates. The machine further includes a plurality of stationvacuum deposition means and a scanning beam generating means. Eachstation vacuum deposition means operates during each stationary phasesuch that each station vacuum deposition means causes a thin film to bedeposited on a respective one of the substrates. The scanning beamgenerating means directs a scanning beam at the substrate occupying thepredetermined station while the substrate is held stationary to producea textured pattern.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of a stationary sputtering machine whichincorporates an embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is the general construction of a laser texturing apparatus thatis incorporated in the machine of FIG. 1 and a representative substrate;preferably, one of the stations shown in FIG. 1 includes such lasertexturing apparatus for each of the sides of the substrate;

FIG. 3 is a graph of a differential error signal versus the out-of-focusdistance of a substrate when a laser beam strikes the substrate;

FIG. 4A is a plan view of a substrate such as the substrate shown inFIG. 2, with a landing zone textured by laser texturing;

FIG. 4B schematically represents various possible positions that asubstrate can occupy relative to a scan lens when the substrate isinitially transferred into a station such as station 116 of the machineshown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of a substrate having a rimonly bump formed in a landing zone of the substrate shown in FIG. 4A;

FIG. 6A is an intensity contour map of a laser beam according to anotherembodiment of this invention;

FIG. 6B is a cross section view of an energy distribution of theintensity contour map shown in FIG. 6A;

FIG. 6C is an intensity contour map of a laser beam according to anotherembodiment of this invention;

FIG. 6D is a cross section view of an energy distribution of theintensity contour map shown in FIG. 6C;

FIG. 7A schematically represents a portion of a station, such as station112 shown in FIG. 1, used to preheat both sides of a substrate;

FIG. 7B schematically represents a portion of a station, such as station114 shown in FIG. 1, used to light sputter etch one side of a substrate;

FIG. 8A schematically represents a portion of a station, such as station120 shown in FIG. 1, used to deposit an underlayer on both sides of asubstrate; and

FIG. 8B schematically represents a portion of a station, such as station122 shown in FIG. 1, used to deposit a magnetic layer on both sides of asubstrate.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to FIG. 1, a machine 100, referred to hereininterchangeably as either a stationary vacuum deposition machine or astationary sputtering machine, includes a robot 102, a series ofstations 110 to 132, and a transport means such as a centrically bearedwheel 106. Wheel 106 includes radially disposed grippers such as gripper108, a portion of which is shown in FIG. 1. A wall 104 separates seriesof stations 110 to 132 from a cleanroom 134.

In operation, cassettes (not shown) of substrates made from metal,glass, or ceramic are positioned in front of robot 102 in cleanroom 134;an example of a metal substrate is an aluminum substrate which istypically plated with a layer of nickel-phosphorous. Robotic arms (notshown) within robot 102 load each substrate in sequence, one at a time,from a cassette into an entrance station 110. From entrance station 110,each substrate is transported by wheel 106 in a pipeline process to eachstation for per stage processing.

Wheel 106 is controlled by operating in a cycle where each cycleincludes a transport phase and a stationary phase. During the transportphase, wheel 106 rotates counter-clockwise such that gripper 108transports the substrate in entrance station 110 to one of a successionof predetermined stations, such as a station 112. Concurrently, robot102 loads another substrate from the cassette into entrance station 110.The process of loading each substrate into entrance station 110 as wheel106 rotates counter-clockwise continues until all of the substrates fromeach cassette have been loaded into entrance station 110.

During the stationary phase, station 112 performs per-stage processingsuch as preheating the substrate while it is temporarily held stationaryin the station by gripper 108. The preheating occurs for a period oftime allocated for per-stage processing within machine 100, typicallyapproximately 5 to 7 seconds per stage. The substrate, such as substrate230 (FIG. 4A), is heated to a predetermined start temperature, e.g., 230degrees C as shown in FIG. 7A. As shown, heaters 900 and 902 arepositioned on each side of substrate 230.

The substrate is then transported or moved to a station 114. Withreference to FIG. 7B, station 114 contains a light sputter etch meanssuch as an ion gun 908 which directs a stream of ions represented by adashed line 910 to a landing zone 400 of a surface, e.g. top surface904, of substrate 230 to perform a light sputter etch of the surface.The light sputter etch removes a plurality of monolayers from thesurface, preferably in the range of 1 to 1000 monolayers. A second iongun (not shown) may be positioned on the other side of substrate 230such that its bottom surface 906 is also light sputter etched.Alternatively, plasma etching may be used to perform the light sputteretch.

Significantly, the per stage processing which occurs in stations 112 and114 allows the height of the bumps to be controlled when the bumps areformed in station 116. The preheating of the substrate controls the meltduration which influences the height of the bumps. For example, if thepredetermined start temperature is higher, the resolidification timeincreases which gives additional time for capillary forces to try torestore a flat surface, i.e., the bump height should be reduced. Thelight sputter etch removes surface oxides from the substrate which mayreduce the effects of chemicapillary flow in the formation of bumps.Hence, the formation of bumps may be influenced primarily bythermocapillary flow which results in greater control of the bumpheight.

After the light sputter etch, the substrate is transported to station116 by wheel 106. At station 116, a scanning beam generating means suchas a laser texturing apparatus 201 (FIG. 2) directs a scanning beam suchas a laser beam 202 (FIG. 2) at the substrate while it is heldstationary in the station. This texturing operation will be described inmore detail below with reference to FIG. 2. The substrate is thentransported to a station 118 where it is heated for a second period oftime. Alternatively, both per-stage heating processes can occur after orbefore the laser zone texturing operation. The substrate is nexttransported to a succession of stations 120 and 122, each of whichcontains a station sputtering means such as the structure shown in FIGS.8A and 8B, respectively; each structure is controlled to operate duringeach stationary phase of wheel 106.

With reference to FIG. 8A, a thin film such as an underlayer 1004 isdeposited on both sides of substrate 230 by an underlayer sputteringmechanism generally indicated by 1000 in station 120. Mechanism 1000includes a plurality of magnets 1008 and a target 1010 positioned oneach side of the substrate. Suitably, the magnets can be eitherpermanent magnets or electromagnets, and the targets arechromium-vanadium targets with each target biased at a negative voltage.In FIG. 8B, a magnetic layer sputtering mechanism generally indicated by1002 deposits a thin film magnetic layer 1006 above underlayer 1004 onboth sides of the substrate in station 122. Mechanism 1002 includes aplurality of magnets 1012 and a target 1014 positioned on both sides ofthe substrate. Each target is biased at a negative voltage. Suitably,the targets are cobalt alloy targets.

Continuing with FIG. 1, wheel 106 transports the substrate to a sparestation 124 and to a station 126 which is used to cool the substrate. Atstations 128 and 130, a thin film layer of carbon is deposited above themagnetic layer in each station. Again, both sides of the substrate aredeposited, e.g., by sputtering, with the thin film layers of carbon. Thesubstrate is transported to an exit station 132 where robot 102 unloadsthe substrate. Other types of processing may be applied to the substratein the course of making a magnetic hard disk, such as adding a lubricantto the thin film layers of carbon. Also, other types of vacuumdeposition techniques may be used in machine 100 such as Ion BeamDeposition, chemical vapor deposition (“CVD”), and plasma-enhancedchemical vapor deposition (“PECVD”).

With reference to FIG. 2, a laser texturing apparatus 201 includes aplurality of components 200-250. Substrate 230 does not form a part ofapparatus 201. A laser 200, such as a Spectra-Physics V70 or B10vanadate laser, generates laser beam 202. Suitably, laser beam 202 has aGaussian shaped energy distribution. Laser beam 202 passes through aFaraday isolator 204, a mechanical variable attenuator 206, and a beamexpander 208. Faraday isolator 204 changes the polarization of laserbeam 202 to protect laser 200 when a portion of laser beam 202 reflectsback from a surface of substrate 230. Attenuator 206 may be used toattenuate laser beam 202. Beam expander 208 expands the size of laserbeam 202 by a suitable amount such as 3× or 6× its size depending on thelaser used. Laser beam 202 then passes through another beam expander210, a variable retarder 212, and a polarizer 214. Beam expander 210such as a Rodenstock beam expander is used to expand laser beam 202 to asuitable amount, e.g., 2 to 8× the size of the laser beam received atits input. Variable retarder 212 and polarizer 214 are used toelectronically control the attenuation of the power of laser beam 202.Laser beam 202, denoted by L1, is received at the input of a polarizingbeamsplitter 216.

Beamsplitter 216 splits laser beam L1 such that most of it, denoted byL3, passes through to strike substrate 230 via elements 218 to 228 whilea small portion of it, denoted by L2 passes through to an average powerdetector 236 and pulse width detector 238 via elements 232 and 234.Element 232 is a best form singlet lens and element 234 is anon-polarizing beamsplitter. Average power detector 236 detects theaverage power of laser beam L2 while pulse width detector 238 detectsits pulse width, suitably in nanoseconds. Laser beam L3 passes through avariable retarder 218 such as a ferroelectric liquid crystal retarderand a polarizer 220 which together form a fast shutter; alternatively, amechanical shutter may be used. Laser beam L3 then passes through aquarter wave retarder 222, a scan mechanism 224, a scan lens 226 withina moveable module 225, and a window 228 to strike landing zone 400 ofsubstrate 230. Scan lens 226 is suitably mounted on acomputer-controlled stage which includes a translation stage and atwo-axis tilt stage. Retarder 222 allows most of the reflected laserbeam, denoted by L4, to be directed to an auto-focus sensor 250.Suitably, scan mechanism 224 may be an x-y galvo scanner and scan lens226 may comprise a plurality of lens in series having a focal length ofapproximately 100 millimeters (mm). Also, the minimum distance betweenwindow 228 and substrate 230 is suitably approximately 25 mm.

A portion of the incident laser beam L3 is reflected back from substrate230 and passes through window 228, scan lens 226, scan mechanism 224,retarder 222, polarizer 220, and retarder 218. The reflected portion,denoted by L4, is reflected off beamsplitter 216 such that a portion oflaser beam L4, denoted by L5, passes to auto-focus sensor 250 which isused to focus the laser beam onto the substrate. Auto focus sensor 250includes a half wave retarder 240, a polarizer 242, a spherical lens244, a cylindrical lens 246, and a focus detector 248. Retarder 240 andpolarizer 242 function as a variable attenuator. Suitably, focusdetector 248 may be a four quadrant detector. Spherical lens 244provides most of the focusing power while cylindrical lens 246 addsastigmatism. The astigmatism causes rays from sagittal and meridiansections to focus at different axial locations. At the tangential andsagittal foci, the images are horizontal and vertical lines,respectively. When the laser beam is optimally focused, the image is acircle halfway between the tangential and sagittal foci. The focus isadjusted by controlling the position of scan lens 226 via module 225until the output of the horizontal and vertical quadrants are matched. Asecond apparatus 201 (not shown) may be positioned on the other side ofsubstrate 230 in station 116 such that both sides of substrate 230 arelaser textured simultaneously; in that embodiment, each apparatus 201may have a dedicated laser such as laser 200 or a single laser may beused for both apparatuses.

The operation of apparatus 201 will now be explained primarily withreference to FIGS. 2-4B. Prior to the actual texturing of substrate 230,suitably, laser beam 202 is focused on substrate 230 via an autofocusoperation, the scanning direction of laser beam 202 is determined, andthe vibration of substrate 230 is attenuated; the above three operationsare collectively referred to as control operations. The vibration ofsubstrate 230 may occur when the substrate is transported to station 116by wheel 106.

In an autofocus operation, the scan lens such as scan lens 226 ispreferably moved while the substrate such as substrate 230 is heldstationary. Moreover, laser beam 202 scans the substrate in a circle atleast once at reduced laser power to prevent the laser beam fromtexturing the substrate. When the scanning occurs, substrate 230 mayassume one of several possible positions relative to an optical axis 406of scan lens 226, three positions of which are shown in FIG. 4B.

The first position, denoted by a dashed line 408, representsan“in-focus” or focused condition of the laser beam; in this condition,laser beam 202 strikes the substrate at an angle which is perpendicularto a surface of the substrate and scan lens 226 is at a suitabledistance from the surface. The second and third positions each representan“out-of-focus” or unfocused condition of the laser beam. For example,when the substrate is in the second position, the laser beam scans thesubstrate at points such as points a to d as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B.Each of points a to d in FIG. 4B correspond to points a to d on dashedcircular line 404 in FIG. 4A. At points a and c, the substrate is tooclose and too far, respectively from scan lens 226. At points b and d,the substrate is at an in-focus distance from the scan lens.

Based on a reflected portion of laser beam 202 which is detected byfocus detector 248, focus detector 248 generates an error signal. Forexample, if a four quadrant detector was used as focus detector 248,then the error signal is generated based on an equation such as(A-B)+(C-D) where A,B,C, D are consecutive quadrants in the fourquadrant detector. An error signal such as the differential error signalshown in FIG. 3 is generated by focus detector 248. Error signals 306and 304 approximately correspond to points c and a, respectively, asshown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. Error signal 302 approximately corresponds topoints b and d, respectively, as shown also in FIGS. 4A and 4B. Errorsignal 302 represents the in-focus condition. The output of focusdetector 248 is then used to adjust the position of scan lens 226 tocorrect for the focus error. For example, scan lens 226 is adjusted inthe pitch and/or yaw directions by moving the two-axis tilt stage tocorrect for the focus error. When the substrate is in the thirdposition, scans lens 226 is moved or translated towards the substrate bymoving the translation stage as well as making the pitch and/or yawadjustments to correct the focus error. Scans lens 226 can also betranslated away from the substrate. Once laser beam 202 is focused onthe substrate, the scanning direction is determined.

The scanning direction is determined such that the scan of the laserbeam during texturing occurs concentric about the center of hole 402 insubstrate 230. An offset between optical axis 406 and the center of hole402, represented by the intersection of the x-y axis, is detected byscanning laser beam 202 in the x and y directions at reduced laserpower. An x-y galvoscanner is used as scanning mechanism 224 in thisexample. When the laser beam is scanned in the x direction orhorizontally, focus detector 248 receives a portion of the reflectedlaser beam such that a signal representing the reflected laser beam isgenerated. The signal contains a null where the laser beam is notreflected such as at hole 402 in substrate 230. Based on this signal,focus detector 248 determines the horizontal offset of the center ofhole 402 relative to optical axis 406. Likewise, the vertical offset orthe offset in the y direction is determined. The x-y galvoscanner isthen suitably programmed to scan the substrate based on the determinedhorizontal and vertical offsets such that the scanning occurssubstantially concentric to the center of hole 402. The auto-focus andthe scanning direction determination operations are conducted each timea substrate is transferred to station 116. After the substrate istransferred out of station 116, scan lens 226 is returned to a defaultposition.

The vibration of substrate 230 is attenuated by employing dampeningfingers or other suitable mechanical means. After the control operationsare completed, the texturing of landing zone 400 commences at anincreased laser power such that bumps are formed as shown in FIG. 5. Thetexturing occurs such that the scanning of laser beam 202 is aconcentric spiral about hole 402. Landing zone 400 can also be locatedin other annular regions of the substrate such as the outer annularregion.

With reference to FIG. 5, landing zone 400 includes a plurality ofbumps, only one of which is shown, formed by apparatus 201 shown in FIG.2. A bump such as bump 500 typically includes a rim 502 and a cavity504.

With reference to FIG. 6A, a laser beam, which is different than thetypical Gaussian shaped laser beam used in the prior art to lasertexture landing zones, includes an intensity contour map 700. Contourmap 700 includes a plurality of annular portions concentric about anaxis 704. The energy of the laser beam is concentrated in one of theannular portions, annular portion 702. With reference to FIG. 6B, across section 800 of contour map 700 defines an energy distributionwhich is characterized by a plurality of maximum energy peaks such aspeaks 802 and 804. Peaks 802 and 804 correspond to annular portion 702.The laser beam having such a cross section may be implemented within theapparatus shown in FIG. 2 in conjunction with the machine shown in FIG.1. The light sputter etch performed in station 114 (FIG. 1)“turns off”chemicapillary flow when a substrate is laser textured in station 116(FIG. 1). Hence, in station 116, the bumps formed by the laser havingcross section 700 stem from thermocapillary flow alone. Each bumpincludes a central protrusion surrounded by a cavity and a rim.

Other laser beams having different energy distributions may be used toform bumps similar to the ones formed by the laser beam represented byFIGS. 6A and 6B. For example, a laser beam having the intensity contourmap and cross section shown in FIGS. 6C and 6D, respectively, may beused. In FIG. 6C, substantially most of the energy of the laser beam isconcentrated in the central portions 806 of intensity contour map 810.In FIG. 6D, a cross section 808 of contour map 810 defines an energydistribution such that each peak corresponds to a central portion 806.The laser beams represented in FIGS. 6A and 6C may be generated by anapparatus using suitable Fourier optics techniques. Suitably, a 2-Daddressable spatial light modulator may be positioned between beamexpanders 208 and 210 in the apparatus shown in FIG. 2 to generate suchlaser beams.

Significantly, this invention takes advantage of the relatively highthroughput of a stationary sputtering machine by conducting laser zonetexturing of substrates in one of the spare stations. By doing so, aseparate standalone laser zone texturing machine is eliminated in themaking of magnetic hard disks which reduces the capital equipment costs.

We claim:
 1. A multiple station vacuum deposition machine for processingsubstrates to make magnetic hard disks, the machine comprising: a seriesof stations including an entrance station for receiving substrates intothe machine, and a texturing station; transport means for operating in acycle with each cycle including a transport phase and a stationary phasesuch that the transport means causes all the substrates that are in themachine to be moved during the transport phase, and be temporarily heldstationary during the stationary phase, such that during each stationaryphase the texturing station is occupied by one of the substrates whileeach of a plurality of others of the stations is occupied by arespective one of a plurality of others of the substrates; a pluralityof station vacuum deposition means, each for operating during eachstationary phase such that each vacuum deposition means causes a thinfilm to be deposited on a respective one of the substrates; and scanningbeam generating means for directing a scanning beam at the substrateoccupying the texturing station during each stationary phase to producea textured pattern; wherein the transport means transports respectiveones of the substrates from the entrance station sequentially througheach of the other series of stations, and further wherein the series ofstations does not include a material deposition station locatedsequentially between the entrance station and the texturing station. 2.The multiple station vacuum deposition machine of claim 1 wherein thescanning beam generating means is configured to texture a substratecomposed of a metal, glass or ceramic.
 3. The multiple station vacuumdeposition machine of claim 1 wherein the scanning beam generating meanscomprises: an auto focus sensor for focusing the scanning beam on asubstrate occupying the texturing station.
 4. The multiple stationvacuum deposition machine of claim 1 wherein each station vacuumdeposition means is a sputtering means for causing the thin film to besputtered on the respective one of the substrates.
 5. The multiplestation vacuum deposition machine of claim 3 wherein the substrates eachinclude a center hole and an annular region, and further wherein theauto focus sensor causes the scanning beam to strike the annular regionof a substrate occupying the texturing station in a directionperpendicular to a plane of the annular region.
 6. The multiple stationvacuum deposition machine of claim 5 wherein the annular region is aninner annular region.
 7. The multiple station vacuum deposition machineof claim 1 wherein the scanning beam generating means includes a laserand a scan lens, the scan lens being moved to selectively direct a laserbeam generated by the laser.
 8. The multiple station vacuum depositionmachine of claim 7 wherein the scan lens rotates and translates relativeto a substrate occupying the texturing station.
 9. The multiple stationvacuum deposition machine of claim 7 wherein the movable scan lens isconfigured to compensate for variations in pitch and yaw of a substrateoccupying the texturing station.
 10. The multiple station vacuumdeposition machine of claim 7 wherein the laser is stationary such thatthe movable scan lens directs the scanning beam to various locations ona substrate occupying the texturing station.
 11. The multiple stationvacuum deposition machine of claim 1 wherein the transport meanstransports respective ones of the substrates from the entrance stationsequentially through each of the other series of stations, and furthercomprising a sputter etch station located sequentially between theentrance station and the texturing station.